The Birthday Party

Synopsis

At a sleepy seaside boarding house in England, the humdrum routine of corn flakes, newspapers and naps is interrupted by the appearance of two mysterious strangers. They become guests at longtime tenant Stanley's surprise birthday party which, after a few glasses of whiskey, party games and a mysterious blackout, turns into a deliciously impalpable nightmare. As excuses and alliances hastily shift, so does the truth in Harold Pinter's riveting dark-comic masterpiece. Harold Pinter was a director, actor and one of the most influential modern British dramatists, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005. His celebrated, ultimately undefinable classic The Birthday Party derives its power from Pinter's brilliantly mysterious yet comic riff on the absurd terrors of the everyday.

Find out more about Harold Pinter.

New Upstairs Theatre

Director and ensemble member Austin Pendleton and scenic designer Walt Spangler are creating an exciting new set for The Birthday Party, which involves bringing the audience closer to the story—literally. We will be reconfiguring the Upstairs Theatre by moving the stage to the center of the room, creating a space that allows for better acoustics and greater intimacy with the audience up front and up close to the action. No seat will be more than eight rows from the stage. This artist-generated design allows for elements of fun and surprise that should make for a compelling and exciting play-going experience.